Box-fastener.



No. 869,908. PATENTED NOV. 5, 1907.

F. S. JOHNSON. BOX FASTENER.

AP PLIOATION FILED JUNE 27.1904.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEmE.

FREDERICK S. JOHNSON, OF DURHAM, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO MERRIAM MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF DURHAM, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

BOX-FASTENER.

Patented Nov. 5, 1907.

Application filed June 27. 1904- Serial No. 214.265-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK S. JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Durham, in the county of Middlesex and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Box-Fasteners, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings. Y

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in box-fasteners, and has for its object, among other things, to provide a convenient andsafe locking means, whereby the cover of a box may be temporarily held in place without the use of a key.

To these, and other ends, my invention consists in the box fastener having certain details of construction and combination of parts as will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, in which like numerals of reference designate like parts in the several figures; Figure 1 is a fragmentary end elevation of a box with my improved fastener thereon; and Figv 2 is a fragmentary front view thereof.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the bottom member of the box and'2 the cover member, which members are movably secured together by a hinge, that may be any of the many constructions well known to the art. These members are preferably constructed of sheet metal, and the bottom member 1 is provided upon its outside with a head 4 which serves as a rest for the cover in its closed position as well as for ornamentation.

The cover member is secured to the bottom member by a cylinder lock of the ordinary type and having a cylinder 10 thereon which projects through the front of the member 1. The fastening means comprises a metal wire hasp 11 preferably formed of spring metal and having midway of its length a circular loop 12 of such shape as to be sprung over the cylinder 10. One end of the wire hasp terminates in a finger piece 13, and the other free ends are turned inwardly toward each other, and enter the aperture in the bearing 14 that is fixed to the cover 2, thus forming a pivot connection therewith. To lock the parts together the finger piece 13 is grasped and the wire hasp moved inwardly toward the bottom member 1 during which time the loop 12 engages the cylinder 10. There is suflicient spring in the wire hasp 11 for the circular loop 12 to pinch the cylinder slightly and thus prevent its accidental disengagement. The fastening mechanism is released by reversing the above operations. During the engagement and disengagement of the loop 10 with the cylinder 12 the ends of the wire hasp move endwise in the bearing 14.

There are minor changes and alterations that can be made within my invention, and I would therefore have it understood-that I do not limit myself to the exact construction herein shown and described but claim all that falls fairly within the spiritand scope of my invention.

Having described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a bottom member; of a cover member connected therewith; a laterally projecting part upon one of Said members; a bearing connected with the other of said members; and a' hasp preferably made of a single piece of wire bent betwecnits ends to form a finger piece, thence outwardly to form a loop of less width than said projecting part; and the opposite ends thereof turned inwardly toward each other and mounted in said bearing.

2. The combination with a bottom member; of a cover member connected therewith; a laterally projecting part upon one of said members; a bearing, having an aperture therein, connected with the other of said members; and a yielding wire hasp bent so as to form a finger piece at one end, thence outwardly to form a loop of less width than said projecting part which has a frictional engagement with said projecting part in one of its positions, and

the opposite ends thereof turned inwardly toward each other and movable endwise in the aperture in said bearing during the engagement and disengagement ofsaid loop with said projecting; part.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK S. JOHNSON.

Witnesses \VILLIAAI I. CAMP, A. H. RoBERTs. 

